


...Because Things Aren't Always What They Seem

by Ceares



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-03-01
Updated: 2000-03-01
Packaged: 2017-12-11 11:46:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/798408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ceares/pseuds/Ceares
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The first in a series of nine interconnecting, but stand alone stories. After such great feedback on my other stuff, how could I not try something completely different ;-)</p>
    </blockquote>





	...Because Things Aren't Always What They Seem

**Author's Note:**

> The first in a series of nine interconnecting, but stand alone stories. After such great feedback on my other stuff, how could I not try something completely different ;-)

[**Home** /Quicksearch](/archive/)  +   [Random](/archive/cgi-bin/random.cgi)  +   [Upload](http://www.852prospect.org/archive/cgi-bin/upload.cgi)  +   [Search](/archive/cgi-bin/search.cgi)  +   [Contact](/archive/contact.shtml)

* * *

## ...Because Things Aren't Always What They Seem

by [Ceares](mailto:Ceares@yahoo.com)  


Author's disclaimer: As usual not mine, belong to PetFly et al... ho hum...

Author's notes: The first in a series of nine interconnecting, but stand alone stories. After such great feedback on my other stuff, how could I not try something completely different ;-)

Part 1 of the Because series (All parts are stand alone. If you do read the series, be aware tone as well as rating varies in each story. All scientific theories, magic rituals etc... are completely made up unless otherwise noted. Please forgive any continuity errors, these were written out of order. Feedback appreciated.) 

...Because thing aren't always what they seem. [Ceares@yahoo.com](mailto:Ceares@yahoo.com)

* * *

It started innocently enough, with a comment from Simon. 

"Hey Jim, Sandburg win the lottery or what?" 

Jim looked up from the utterly boring report he was reading at his Captain. "What do you mean?" 

Simon shrugged. "I was just downtown and saw him having lunch at Rainier Arms." One of the most expensive hotels in Cascade, the Arms was far beyond a cop's salary, especially a rookie. 

"Who knows with Sandburg Simon, maybe he's got a rich girlfriend." Simon's comment lingered in Jim's mind though. He had noticed that Blair had been rather flush in the pockets lately. He knew Sandburg was trying to pay back his grant and cover his other bills, not to mention keeping the Volvo running, and he had categorically refused to take any money from Jim. 

The detective in him was curious, the Blessed Protector worried. Not that he thought Blair would do anything illegal, but still, his partner was a trouble magnet, and there was the possibility that he was doing something that might lead to disaster. 

Over the next few days, Jim surreptitiously watched his roommate's comings and goings. He waited for Blair to mention his trip to the Arms, and when he didn't his suspicions just increased. He reassured himself that he was doing his job as Blessed Protector, not invading Blair's privacy. 

Of course he had to admit that the truth was, until recently Blair hadn't had much that was private from Jim, and he didn't like the idea that there were secrets between them. Not after all they had been through. 

* * *

They had the weekend off, and Blair had left the house dressed in his one suit, telling Jim he had an appointment, but no more than that. Jim waited until he was down the block before he left the loft and followed him. He tracked Blair by his heartbeat, keeping the Volvo in eyeshot easily. Jim's mouth tightened when he saw Blair pull up in front of the Rainier Arms, and he waited until Blair had gone in before pulling up and passing his keys to the parking lot attendant. 

He entered the lobby, barely noting the lush and expensive dcor. He rapidly scanned the area, his eyesight chasing the thump of Blair's heart. He followed it to the restaurant. He walked over to the bar, again searching the area, looking for his guide. 

He finally spotted Blair seated with a very attractive man that looked to be in his late fifties. He was dressed expensively and he had one hand on top of Blair's leaning into the young man intently. Jim dialed up his hearing. 

"You'd only be tied up for a little while Blair. And afterwards, you'd have some nice pocket change." 

Blair shifted in his seat, his expression hesitant. "I don't know Eli, I'm not really comfortable doing it you know." 

"But you're so good at it Blair, a natural talent, and it's not like you'd be hurting anybody. Unless you think your roommate might object?" Jim listened intently, moving further back behind the huge potted plant that concealed him. 

"Jim? please, he could care less. He didn't know about the last time, and I don't really want him to know." The man called Eli shrugged, still touching Blair's hand. 

"I just wondered, I mean after what happened before. Damnit Blair, I just wish you had come to me first, you know I would have taken care of you. None of that would have happened. The more I think about it, I wish you would just come back to Florida with me. I'm all alone in that big empty house..." 

Jim had heard enough. Enveloped in a red haze of fury, he stormed across the floor, ignoring the startled look of the restaurant patrons, and the frantic look of the waiter he almost crushed. He reached the table and reached down, jerking Blair up and away from the other man. 

"Jim!" Blair wiggled his arm slightly, trying to free his wrist from the bruising grasp. 

"Chief how could you? If you needed money why not just come to me instead of this lecherous old pervert." 

"Lecherous old..." Blair's eyes widened as he realized what Jim was thinking. Muffled snorts were coming from across the table but both Blair and Jim ignored them. 

"I can't believe you man. Jim this is Eli Fleischman, he's the editor of S.M.M. magazine." Jim's frown never lifted. 

"What the hell is that Sadomasochist monthly?" The snorts increased to guffaws as Blair sighed. 

"No, its Science, Mystery and Magic magazine. He's also my great uncle." 

"Oh." 

"You can let go anytime now." Blair spoke with infinite patience, and Jim sheepishly released his death grip on Sandburg's arm. 

"Detective Ellison I presume. Please have a seat. It's a pleasure to meet you, I've heard a lot about you." He cast his nephew another amused look. "Doesn't care what you do huh?" It was said under his breath, but both heard him, and Blair flushed. 

* * *

They were both silent for a moment, watching as Blair traversed the dining area, headed for the bathroom. 

Jim turned to look at Blair's uncle, giving him a sheepish smile. "I'm really sorry about what happened earlier, it's just..." 

Eli leaned forward and put a hand over Jim's much the same way he had done Blair earlier. "You worry about him. You care about him. This is a good thing." His blue eyes were intense. "A young man like Blair, who has a very open heart, he needs someone to look out for him, to protect him." 

Jim nodded, in perfect agreement with Eli. "I try, but it's not easy. He just seems to attract trouble." 

Eli laughed, eyes twinkling. "Yes, it was always that way, even as a child. I suspect he inherited it from his mother. Now there was a handful." 

Jim tried to imagine Naomi as a child and shuddered. If she was hyper and adventurous now, she must have been a holy terror then. 

"He loves you very much you know." Eli's voice was solemn now as they watched Blair making his way back towards the table. 

Jim pulled his eyes from his partner, looking at Eli in surprise. "Well yeah, He's my partner, and my best friend." 

Eli nodded. "Yes, but remember detective, as today should have shown you, things aren't always what they seem." 

* * *

Jim stared at Blair's Volvo, two cars in front of him at the red light. He watched the young man's head bob to whatever music he was listening to. Eli's remarks kept running through his head as he focused on the bouncing waves, that even short, had a life of their own. 

He wondered what he'd meant by them, wondered if Blair had said something he should know. He'd ask, but he had a feeling he was going to be too busy groveling for his earlier behavior. 

* * *

"Jim I can't believe you thought... For God's sake man, I'm thirty years old. Don't you think I'm a little old to be a boy toy?" 

Jim looked over at his partner, as the elevator inched up to their floor, full lips partially open, blue eyes sparkling, and he wondered if Blair had looked in the mirror lately. Another thought hit him. Eli had asked Blair to come stay with him, in sunny, warm Florida. God knew there wasn't anything to keep Blair in Cascade after everything that happened with his dissertation. Hell the move might be good for him; far enough away from 'the scene of the crime' to give him a chance to regain some of the academic respect he had lost. 

/I should let him go, hell I should make him go./ At the thought a shaft of pain shot through Jim. He should, but selfish bastard that he was he wouldn't. He couldn't. He realized, just in that instant. He couldn't let Blair go, because he loved him, was in love, in lust, incalculably, incomprehensibly, insanely, inalterably infatuated with a curly haired nuisance. A neo witch doctor punk. A motor mouthed menace to everything in a skirt. An open minded, open hearted compilation of joy and warmth and love like Jim had never experienced before, and there was no way he was ever going to let him go. Now he knew what Eli had meant. Somehow the older man had keyed into his feelings before he had. 

* * *

Blair stood just inside the door, arms folded, coat in hand, waiting for a response to his question about Jim's earlier behavior. 

"Sorry Chief, I kind of freaked out at the thought of you with another man." 

Blair dropped his coat on the floor, eyes wide with shock. He never even noticed. "What did you say?" 

Jim bent and picked up the coat, hanging it on the hook, cursing silently as he realized what he had let slip. "I said I kind of freaked out at the thought of you with a man. Especially one old enough to be your father." 

Blair shook his head, eyes speculative now as they looked at Jim. "You said 'another' man. Implying that there is already 'a' man. Who is the first man Jim?" 

Jim still refused to meet Blair's eyes, trying to figure a way out of this situation gracefully, knowing that Blair would hang onto it like a puppy with a new toy. "You're hearing things Chief." He walked over to a cabinet and pulled down two mugs, then put the kettle. He wasn't ready to admit his feelings yet. He needed a chance to figure out how to handle things. A chance to get back into control before he dealt with Blair. He should have known that with his partner, that was a fat chance. 

Blair watched him for a moment, eyes narrowed, and then he walked over and stood in front of Jim. Close. So close that Jim's breath caught, and he was instantly hard. 

"Am I. So in other words, if I did this..." He leaned forward and ran his tongue gently over Jim's lips outlining and then filling in with tiny laps. "It wouldn't mean anything." 

Jim shook his head, backing away from Blair until his back was to the counter. He still hadn't taken a breath and he was starting to get lightheaded. He wanted nothing more than to capture that soft tongue in his mouth, but he didn't know what kind of game Blair was playing, and he didn't want to give away his own hand too soon. 

Blair smiled. "Breath Jim." 

Jim took a deep breath, letting it out with a soft huff that Blair caught with his own mouth. 

"And if I did this..." He pulled Jim's tee shirt out of his pants and slid his hands under the cool material, gently scraping his fingernails down Jim's chest. He flicked the already hardening nipples lightly; his smile w wicked as Jim moaned. 

"Blair damnit, don't play around!" 

Blair's expression turned serious. "Does it feel like I'm playing Jim.?" 

"You have to be sure Chief. This isn't fun and games, this is for real." 

Blair pulled his hands loose and raised them, cupping Jim's face. "I've never been more certain of anything." 

"Oh hell Sandburg!" Jim gave up trying to resist, knowing he had lost the upper hand a long time ago. He lowered his head and captured that soft, enticing mouth with his own. Allowing his tongue all the liberties it craved from the moment Blair touched him. Hands trapped under the tee shirt, Blair couldn't move as Jim pulled him in closer and devoured the younger man with a hunger too long denied. 

* * *

"So that's the big secret?" They were spooned in Jim's bed, Jim's arms wrapped tightly around his new lover. 

"Yeah, It was supposed to be just the one article, but it received such a good response that Eli asked for two more, and now he wants me to write a follow up." 

"Chief, I had no idea you were an academic snob." 

"I'm not, its just that... okay well maybe I am a little. I just always thought my writing would wow the academic world, not provide tips on getting laid." 

Jim laughed, pulling Blair tighter at the other's woebegone tone. "Chief, a treatise on the psychology of mating isn't exactly 'the horny guy's guide to getting some'. Though you could probably write that one too. So can I read it?" 

Curls tickled his nose as Blair shook his head. "Trust me lover, you definitely don't need any instructions." 

* * *

End

[**Home** /Quicksearch](/archive/)  +   [Random](/archive/cgi-bin/random.cgi)  +   [Upload](http://www.852prospect.org/archive/cgi-bin/upload.cgi)  +   [Search](/archive/cgi-bin/search.cgi)  +   [Contact](/archive/contact.shtml)

* * *


End file.
